Game-board.



J. B. BAINES.

"GAME BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-22, i916. r

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

"llllllll JOSEPH B. JBAINES, 01E BERRYVILIJE, ARKANSAS.

GAME-BOARD.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, rate.

Application filed January 22, 1916. Serial No. 73,640.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JOSEPH lB. BAINEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at lBerryville, in the county of Carroll and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a game board, and more particularly to the class of checker game boards.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character wherein the playing surface thereof is marked with squares which are arranged in groups at particular points so that movable objects placed thereon can be shifted in the playing of the game in prescribed courses for accomplishing a determined result so that each player is kept alert, thereby afiording an exercise for the concentration of the mind and at the same time not only being beneficial in this respect but assuring a pleasant pastime.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this charac ter wherein four players can participate as well as two players, thereby making the game more complicated, scientific and interesting, and consequently more difficult to master.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character which is novel in construction, which will permit the playing of a game termed military checkers, each indicative of a man representative of privates and captains of a military company, so that sham battles can be executed upon the board with a resultant victory to either the oflensive or defensive participants.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character wherein a game can be played thereon which will be attractive to the players, thereby making such players attentive for the successful termination of the game.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character which is simple in construction and inexpensive of manufacture.

Uther objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in'the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will he exemplified in the construction hereinmaterial, and has marked or otherwise indicated on one face thereof a'marginal or border line 6 which constitutes a large square indicative of the playing area of the board. Arranged within this playing area are independent series of small squares 7,

I each series being distinguishable from each other by reason of the particular coloring of the squares 7 of the respective series. One series of squares 7 has therein shading indicative of black, while the other series has shading indicative of red. The squares 7 shaded black are arranged in independent corner groups 8, while the squares shaded red are arranged in a center group 9. The alternate squares of the respective groups are blank, that is to say, the same are free of shading indicative of color and are associated with the shaded squares to form the respective groups.

Printed or otherwise impressed in the squares 7 shaded black along the marginal lines 6 are stars 10 which, in this instance, are shaded toindicate red, while printed or-otherwise markedon opposed outermost squares 7 shaded to indicate red and grouped at 9 are stars 11, one opposed pair thereof being shaded to indicate red while the other pair are shaded to indicate black. This particular lay-out of the playing face of the board is essential for the progress of the game to be played thereon. Adapted to be movable over the board is a series ofmovable objects, one of which is indicated at 12. the series including thirty-six objects, and of this number eighteen are colored or other" wise marked to indicate red, the other eighteen are colored or otherwise marked to indicate black, while two of the objects included in the number making up the eighteen objects each are marked or otherwise printed with the word Captain, which two objects of each series of eighteen are the controlling or master objects.

In the playing of the game it is to be understood that the same can be accomplished by either two or four persons and the opponents are positioned on opposite sides of the board and the objects are placed in the squares on the side of the board next to the respective players. Where only two persons are to play each player takes possession of sixteen objects having the same color and two objects indicative of captains, and of the larger number of objects eight are selected to be positioned upon the squares shaded black in the groups 8, while the two objects indicative of captains are placed on the squares shaded red in the group 9 and bearing the stars 11 shaded to indicate a color corresponding to the color of the objects bearing the word Captain. In other Words, the objects colored red andbearing the word Captain are placed on the red stars and the objects colored black and bearing the Word Captain are placed on the black stars indicated in the squares grouped at 9 centrally of the board. The objects bearing the word Captain can progress in any direction on the playing surface of the board. The moves in the progress of the game are the same as in the ordinary game of checkers. However, when the objects positioned on the squares of the groups 8 have moved on to the squares of the group 9 the same can be moved in any direction, yet the said objects cannot be moved back on the squares in the groups 8 after being progressed therefrom. The objects bearing the word Captain can be moved and are privileged to jump the other objects after the said objects bearing the word Captain have been crowned by reaching certain goals, namely, the capital rows at opposite marginal edges of the playing surface of the board.. However, after the objects bearing the word Captain have reached the enemys territory, that is, the side of the playing surface opposite that from which progress has been made toward the opponents side, jumps can be made of the oppon'ents objects for the capture of the same. On progressing into the enemys territory the objects are not permitted to return to the starting territory until after having reached the. capital row for the crowning of the object and thereafter the same maybe moved in any direction. The objects colored red and black indicate privates of a military company, while the objects bearing the word Captain are indicative of captains of such military company. In the playing of the game a captain cannot be forced to jump unless by another object of the same rank,

nor can a private be forced to jump unless the participant indicates this fact when the move is made. Whenever either a captain or a private captures a man or men and comes to rest on either of the four stars in the corners of the red'square in one continuous move, the player may redeem from his opponent just as many men as were captured. These captives are then placed in the home square on the capital row, it being a rule of the game that a private cannot redeem a captain but a captain may redeem men of subordinate rank.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of use of the invention will be readily apparent and, therefore, a more extended explanation has been omitted.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a board having squares marked thereon, the said squares being arranged in corner and center groups, the squares of the corner groups being colored differently from the squares of the center group, a plurality of game pieces divided into sets, the game pieces of the respective sets being adapted to be moved from certain of the squares to others, said sets being distinguishable from each other, certain of the game pieces bearing indicia indicative of higher milk than the remaining game pieces, and symbols marked on certain of the squares of the corner groups and also marked on certain of the squares of the center group to indicate goals.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having squares marked thereon, the said squares being arranged in corner and center groups, the squares of the corner groups being colored differently from the squares of the center group,a plurality of game pieces divided into sets, the gamepieces of the respective sets being adapted to be moved from certain of the squares to others, said sets being distinguishable from each other, certain of the game pieces bearing indicia indicative of higher rank than the remaining game pieces, and symbols marked on certain of the squares of the corner groups and also marked on certain of the squares of the center group to indicate goals, the symbols'on the center group being arranged in pairs distinguishable from each other.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH B; BAINES.

Witnesses:

W. M. SMITH, J. E. GREGSON. 

